KARACHI: Pak Sarzameen Party Chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal said on Tuesday that there was a dire need "to clear the filth in the minds of the rulers of Karachi" rather than cleaning the filth in Karachi's drains.
Commenting over statements of federal and provincial ministers, he said, "Karachi is not occupied Kashmir" for which the federation and institutions could have themselves absolved of their responsibilities by declaring moral support only. Like Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar, "Karachi is not only a part of Pakistan but also a revenue engine of Pakistan", he said.
Kamal said this while talking to the volunteers of the PSP Foundation engaged in relief activities in District East.
He further said that the mayor of Karachi, "who was shedding crocodile's tears" at the farewell press conference on the eve of the completion of his tenure, could have been a hero of Karachi today only if he had resigned from the post by holding a similar press conference for the sake of Karachi in 2017.
"We have been informing the nation for the last four years that a solution to Karachi's problems is very much possible, which requires character, not an authority," the PSP leader said.
Instead of the districts becoming autonomous with the 18th Constitutional Amendment, Kamal said only the chief ministers had become powerful as all the resources got concentrated at the Chief Minister's House, a phenomenon which was against the very sprit of the amendment.
In terms of constitutional amendment, it is essential to determine the autonomy, powers, role, responsibilities, job description, allocation of resources, working methods and accountability of local governments, he said.
A PFC award on the pattern of the NFC award should be made mandatory, and the federation should not announce the NFC award until and unless the provinces ensured transfer of powers and resources to the district level, he said and demanded restoration of Karachi's 18 or 20 towns under a mayor's unified command.
Kamal said that around 150 acres of land should be provided for the resettlement of affected families at three different locations who had illegally occupied the rain drains of Karachi.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020